Red Dog Speaks

Album Review

Veteran guitarist/vocalist Elvin Bishop has always been — at heart — a blues man, but more known for his pop tunes ("Fooled Around & Fell In Love") and associations as an accompanist. Though he's put out many recordings as a leader, this could be the crown jewel in a long and perhaps sometimes frustrating career. It's his second for the Delta Groove label, accentuating Bishop's deft, meaty slide guitar work, featuring five of his originals, and covers of great standards written by Leroy Carr, Huey Meaux and others. In addition, Bishop is teamed with many heavy friends (including guitarist Tommy Castro, R.C Carrier on rub board, pianist Bob Welsh, and ex-Charles Brown electric bassist Ruth Davies) who also know a great deal about the Chicago-based electric urban music they grew up with and still adore. John Nemeth adds his soulful and gritty vocals to three songs, including a cover of Jimmy Cliff's "Many Rivers to Cross" and a classic read of Otis Spann's New Orleans-flavored "Get Your Hand Out of My Pocket." Kid Anderson's literate second guitar is paired well with Bishop for another triple feature of tunes, especially their instrumental cover of "In the Still of The Night," but the killer collaboration crops up during the shuffle "Blues Cruise," a live concert jam with Ronnie Baker Brooks, Roy Gaines, Sir Reginald Dural, and Buckwheat Zydeco. Bishop himself has never sounded better, and despite the years of wear and tear, not to mention those long months on the road, lives to tell the tale, particularly on two autobiographical talking blues selections. There's also an acknowledgment of traditional acoustic blues and gospel music here. Fans should be quite pleased with this, and considering the assistance from so many heavyweights, everybody who enjoys this kind of music should deem this a triumph for Elvin Bishop — a main man at last. ~ Michael G. Nastos, Rovi